From the Desk of President Rich Santa: Shutdown Averted, But Our Work Is Not Done

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

On Saturday, Sept. 30, President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan Continuing Resolution (CR) that funds the federal government through Nov. 17, 2023, averting what would have been a costly and damaging shutdown. The CR also extends Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization through Dec. 31, 2023.

Leading up to this development, NATCA proactively engaged with our representatives in Congress who decided the fate of the thousands of aviation safety professionals whose quality of life and financial security hung in the balance.

Through the coordinated efforts of our National Legislative Committee and our national office staff, our Union delivered a clear message to every member of Congress – pass the CR, avert the shutdown, and do not further delay the passage of full-year appropriations legislation and FAA reauthorization.

NATCA also kept the pressure on Congress through the media, with our message appearing in national publications like the Washington Post and The New York Times, and broadcast networks ABC and NBC.

While the shutdown crisis has been averted for now, we must remain vigilant – this fight is far from over. We will continue to use every avenue available to our Union to keep the pressure on Congress to pass full-year appropriations legislation and long-term FAA reauthorization, which includes max hiring of air traffic controllers for five years and mandating that the FAA request funding to implement the collaboratively developed controller staffing numbers that are critical to the long-term solution of solving the ATC staffing crisis. We will not allow Congress to treat NATCA members like pawns in their political games.

In Solidarity,

Rich Santa
NATCA President